Spanish broom

Material Blossoms of any of several species including Canary Island broom (Genista canariensis), Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius), and Spanish broom (Spartium junceum). 

The traditional method of essential oil analysis is to extract the plant material by steam distillation or with solvent and then fractionally distil the oil or extract and isolate individual components by chromatographic techniques for subsequent identification by spectroscopic methods. At each step the odour of the fractions and isolates is assessed and those with the desired characteristics are investigated further. To answer the enquiry about the key odour components of broom absolute, first a sample of the absolute that is of an acceptable odour quality is obtained. The absolute is the alcoholic extract of the concrete, which is itself the solvent extract of the flowers of Spartium junceum, Spanish broom, often referred to by its French name Genet. The odour of any natural extract can vary according to the geographical origin and quality of the plant material, the time of year it is harvested and the extraction method used. If no sample of adequate quality is commercially available then the fresh flowers would be obtained from the plant and the extraction carried out in the laboratory. 

Occurrence, and Isolation of New Alkaloids.—The bark of a thorny Spanish broom indigenous to the Canary Islands has been shown to contain ( + )-sparteine, retamine, anagyrine, and sophochrysine. Traces of sophoridine, A -methylcytisine, cytisine, and sophoramine were also detected. This plant is variously described in the literature as Retama rhodorhizoides, ° R. mono-sperma ssp. rhodorhizoides, and Ulex vulgaris rhodorhizoides, but these are probably synonyms for Genista rhodorhizoides Webb et Berth.,a conclusion which is emphasized by the identity in alkaloid content. 

Studies on Ugnocellulosic material modification were also cmiducted by Nekkaa et al. [18]. The cellulose fibers obtained from Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) were subjected to silane s action to improve adhesion between composite components. Thermal analysis confirmed the nucleating effect uprm the addition of unmodified fibers, while the addition of modified fibers did not significantly influence the crystallinity of polypropylene matrix. 

Angelini, L.G. and Lazzeri, A. et al. (2000), Ramie and Spanish Broom Fibres for Composite Materials Agronomical Aspects, Morphology and Mechanical Properties. Industrial Crops and Products, March. 

Common/vernacular names Spanish broom, weavers broom. 

Angelini, L.G., Lazzeri, A., Levita, G., Fontanelli, D., and Bozzi, C. (2000) Ramie and Spanish broom fibres for composite materials agronomical aspects, morphology and mechanical properties. Ind. Crops Prod., 11, 145-161. 

Gabriele, G., Cerchiara, T, Salerno, G., Chidichimo, G., Vetere, M. V, Alampi, C., Gallucci, M. C., Conidi, C., Cassano, A. A new physical-chemical process for the efficient production of cellulose fibers from Spanish broom (Spartium junceum L.). Bioresource... 

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